To the centerpiece of Staten Island's Catholic football schedule, you can add an extra ingredient:

Urgency.

St. Joseph by-the-Sea and Monsignor Farrell play Saturday in Huguenot at 1:30 p.m. in a collision of the Island's only top-level CHSFL AAA/AA squads. But the course of their seasons has put more on the line than bragging rights.

The Lions have lost five straight since a season-opening non-league win against St. Peter's and remain winless in league play, while the Vikings (2-2 CHSFL, 3-2 overall) are in a five-way tie for fourth place and trying to stay above .500 in the CHSFL after dropping their last two.

"We're just trying to get back on the winning track," said Sea coach Greg Manos. "I think we're a solid football team all over the place. Our kids are working hard. We're young. And you don't want to string too many of these losses in a row together. So you've got to get back on the winning track."

The situation is worse for Farrell. The Lions are 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the CHSFL, sitting in last place in the 12-team AAA/AA division. Farrell's last two losses were to St. Anthony's and Iona Prep, tied for first in the league with 4-0 records. In last week's 10-0 loss to Iona, Farrell moved the ball well but couldn't finish in the red zone, and limited the Gaels to a single touchdown.

"We played well defensively," said Farrell coach Ben Sarullo. "We probably could have played better. We let them score one and it was one of those things. A lapse here, a lapse there. But that's been the story of our season. A letup here, a letup there. A big run and we can't seem to get back in the ballgame."

The Lions have lost a pair of close ones -- 27-26 to Fordham Prep and 19-13 to Mount St. Michael -- to go with two low-scoring shutout losses and a 41-27 decision to St. Anthony's.

Farrell's offense has gotten most of its production through the air, with Anthony Evangelista catching 27 passes for 259 yards and five touchdowns, James Pizzo 20 for 331 and five scores and Marco Boshnack adding 21 catches for 202 yards out of the slot.

"Their skill guys are definitely the best on Staten Island: Evangelista, Boshnack, Pizzo," said Manos. "Offensively they've got weapons all over the place."

But they haven't gotten nearly as much out of the running game. With Boshnack, quarterback Jonathan Derbyshire and quarterback-turned-running back Paul Barchitta carrying the load, the Lions have yet to get a 100-yard rushing game out of any ballcarrier.

"We're trying to get more of a balance running and passing," said Sarullo. "At one point we were too much run, not enough pass, then it was too much pass and not enough run. So again, it's a team in transition. From week to week you never know what's going to happen."

Balance isn't part of the gameplan at Sea, where Andrew Armato and Lyle McCombs are combining to carry the ball 45 times per game. Between them, they've piled up 1,366 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in just five games.

"They're like a machine those guys," said Sarullo. "They're like a steamroller. They're difficult to stop."

After winning their first three in dominant fashion, the Vikings have lost 31-14 to Chaminade and 37-28 to St. Anthony's. Both games were close deep into the second half before the Vikings saw their opponents come up with the big fourth-quarter plays.

"Our good players are still making plays," said Manos. "Our young players are still showing their age a little bit. As you get further down the season the quality of the team in the AAA just keeps getting better and better.

"You look at Farrell this week, Farrell's every bit as good as Chaminade and St. Anthony's. They may not have the depth that St. Anthony's has, but as far as the 11 they're putting on the field, there's no difference between them and St. Anthony's. There isn't."

This will be the sixth meeting between the two programs, and fifth in the past four seasons for a rivalry that has quickly blossomed since the Vikings moved into AAA competition. The Lions lead the series, 4-1, with Sea picking up its only win, 28-21, at home in 2006. Last season the Lions defeated the Vikings, 26-21.

"Whenever you play Farrell, it's just another animal," said Manos. "You know they're going to be ready, you know they're going to be well-coached, you know they're going to be excited. The atmosphere's going to be great. Come early."